The weekly sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1886-1887, 1887-04-14
THE SUMAC INDUSTRY.
What The Hill City has Done Winston
Can Do.

Can Do.
About nine years ago, few gentle
men in Lynchburg organized what is
now known as the Lynchburg Manu-
featuring Company, with view of
utilizing the large quantity of sumac
grown in that section of Virginia, and
which was then utterly valueless, by
reason Of there being no convenient
market for its sale. The company
was incorporated in the year indicat-
ed and has, for a small industry, grown
into mammoth proportions. The
capital stock is now S25, 1000 paid in,
and with good surplus on hand has
averaged an annual dividend of 10 per
cent. The mill in which the sumac is
ground, bolted and prepared for mar
ket is 1orty by eighty feet in its di-
mansions. with two stories and base
ment. They have also storage house
Immediately opposite the mill two
stories high, each story fifteen feet in
height, fifty by $50 in size, together
with an annex of one story, forty by
forty feet in its dimensions.
The company grind annually an
average of 1 100000 pounds of sumac
leaf, which is obtained within a radius
of fifty miles from the city, though the
capacity of the mill is much larger
The product of this mill is said to
fully equal the foreign article, which
comes, in the main, from Sicily, the
proportion of tammic acid, which is
the active principle Of sumac, perhaps
excelling in quantity that OF the for
eign article. The price of sumac de
livered at this mill varies, of course,
with the rulings of the northern mar
kets, as well as by the price of the
imported product, but usually brings
about 81 per 100 at the mill.
Commenting on the above, the
Lynchburg Neaos says: Herein is
striking illustration of the good ac-
complished by these small industries,
not only to the city, but to our country
friends as we'll. We have shown that
100000 pounds of the growth of our
soil, heretofore wasted, is annually
utilized and turned into ready money,
but we cannot tell how much good
has been accomplished for the poorer
class OF country people among whom
much Of this money is annually dis
tributed The work of gathering it is
one in which children may engage,
and in these times Of agricultural de
preston, should not be overlooked.
We have been informed that but
small part of that growth in this Sec
ton Of Virginia is gathered, whether
from indisposition To do so, or from
lack Of information as to its prepare
ton we know not, but we have thought
kindness might be done our agricul-
tural friends by a few hints as to the
proper method of curing sumac. The
time to gather, which is about the
latter part of June, thence ON until
the latter part of August, or before
frost puts in an appearance. 1t should
be cured under shelter: in a building
with plank floor is best, so that
dampness may be avoided. 1t should
either be spread thinly or tossed over
frequently to avoid heating in bulk,
ard before bringing it to market it
should be cleansed from sticks and
trash of every kind, as it will thereby
command a much better price. When
gathered keep it sheltered securely
from sun, rain or dew, all of which
injure its quality. If cured properly
the leaves will have toe same rich
color as when on the bush"
There is no reason why Winston
should not make an effort to give
vitality to this industry, inasmuch as
an inhaustible quantity of this valu-
able plant grows in wild luxurianc
all around u.s.
Let the Chamber of Commerce APP
point committee to "work up" just